つまみ
つまみ
noun
snack (to go with drinks); knob; pinch
1.
snack to accompany alcohol; drinking snack
Small dishes or finger food eaten while drinking alcohol. Synonymous with 肴 (さかな) and おつまみ (the polite form). A central concept in Japanese drinking culture.
つまみを注文しよう。
Let's order some snacks.
枝豆はビールのつまみに最高だ。
Edamame is the perfect snack to go with beer.
居酒屋で飲みながら、いろいろなつまみを楽しんだ。
We enjoyed various snacks while drinking at the izakaya.
2.
knob; dial; handle
A small protruding part that is grasped and turned or pulled, such as a volume knob or lid handle. From the verb つまむ (to pinch, to pick up).
ラジオのつまみを回す。
To turn the radio dial.
鍋の蓋のつまみが熱い。
The knob on the pot lid is hot.
音量のつまみを左に回して音を小さくした。
I turned the volume knob to the left to lower the sound.
USAGE:
The polite form おつまみ is commonly used by customers when ordering. In casual speech, つまみ is standard. Both 酒のつまみ and 酒の肴 mean "food to go with drinks," but つまみ is more casual.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- おつまみ (polite form — used when ordering)
- 酒のつまみ (snack to accompany sake/alcohol)
- つまみになる (to serve as a drinking snack — also figurative: to become a topic of conversation)
- つまみを回す (to turn a knob)
- つまみ食い (snacking; picking at food before it's served)